Java Indo Music

Java Indo Music

Situated within the island of Java in Indonesia, this is a place of lots, where palaces and temples meet verdant mountains and paddy fields. Trance inducing rhythms accompanied by sensual sitars, tribal percussion and acoustic freak folks all added to the mix offer a glimpse into the commune mentality of the early 70s and the musical expressions generated from idealism in closed communities in all its naivety and cosmic connectedness.

At forty-six minutes it’s maybe barely overlong and just a bit repetitive here and there, and this kind of music would most likely work higher by focusing on much less but longer and further developed pieces (one thing a reworked model of the group would ship on their very welcome comeback album `Seventh Valley’ in 2016), nevertheless it’s still an lively, intoxicating brew of east-meets-west atmospheres, and just a cool album to have spinning within the background.

However, regardless of the plain temptation of simply making an album of covers, ANANDA performs six other authentic tracks which admittedly sound closer to the Indian aspect of the equation than the rock with tracks like “Metamorphosis” fully dependent on sitar and tabla interactions albeit with a robust bass line and an infused burst of rock vitality.

This live performance is an intercultural journey undertaken by the gypsy custom of Flamenco in Spain into its Indian roots along a path that returns to the south of India in an emotional encounter between Flamenco music, voices, Carnatic and Hindustani compositions and Flamenco dancing strategies.

It’s also quietly joyful and embracing right here, with the lightest of pristine electric guitar wisps gently reminding of German band Agitation Free’s crossover of chilled electric guitar jamming and world flavours on their first two albums from the early Seventies.